The Boss conjures up some 'Magic' for fans

Springsteen reunites with the E Street Band on an upcoming album

Friday, August 17, 2007

BY JAY LUSTIG
Newark Star-Ledger Staff

Bruce Springsteen is ready to rock again.

The Boss, who took a folky turn with last year's "Seeger Sessions" album and tour, will reunite with his E Street Band for his next album, "Magic," due out Oct. 2. The band hasn't appeared on a Springsteen studio album since 2002's "The Rising." Brendan O'Brien, who produced "The Rising," is on board in the same role, as well.

In a press release, Springsteen's manager Jon Landau described "Magic" as "a high-energy rock CD." He elaborated to rollingstone.com: "You could say that it's a little more sonically guitar-driven than any past Bruce album. There are a few sort of pop, romantic touches that haven't shown up recently, but were very prominent on the very early records."

Songs will include the title track, along with "Radio Nowhere," "You'll Be Comin' Down," "Livin' in the Future," "Your Own Worst Enemy," "Gypsy Biker," "Girls in Their Summer Clothes," "I'll Work for Your Love," "Last to Die," "Long Walk Home" and "Devil's Arcade."

On rollingstone.com, Landau said that "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" has "the sound of the E Street Band" but also a feeling reminiscent of the Beach Boys' classic "Pet Sounds" album, and that "Devil's Arcade" has a political lyrical theme. But he added that politics "is not the primary intention of this record."

Tour details were not immediately available, though arena dates with the E Street Band have been widely rumored. Springsteen's last string of E Street concerts was on the politically oriented "Vote For Change" tour in 2004. He toured solo in 2005, and his shows last year featured an acoustic big band.

He debuted one of the "Magic" tracks, "Long Walk Home," on the acoustic tour, describing it as a "work in progress." As performed then, the song was, at least in part, a political commentary. The narrator of the song looks back nostalgically on life in his hometown, then sings, "Now the war is rising 'round the corner/There's a fire burning out of control/There's a hurricane on Main Street/And I've got murder in my soul." In the chorus, he sings, over and over, "It's gonna be a long walk home/Hey pretty darling, don't wait up for me."

In the rollingstone.com article, Landau called this tune "sort of the summational song of the album."

It's possible that a 2007-08 E Street Band tour could be the group's last major outing. Springsteen is now 57, while the oldest E Street Band member, saxophonist Clarence Clemons, is 65. Drummer Weinberg leads the house band on "Late Night With Conan O'Brien," and when O'Brien takes over "The Tonight Show" in 2009, Weinberg may not be able to take a long leave of absence to tour.

Also, Springsteen has made it clear over the last two decades that he wants to be able to work alone, or with other musicians, when the mood strikes him.

This will be a busy fall for Springsteen, CD-wise. He will appear on "Play It As It Lays," a Sept. 4 solo album by his wife (and E Street Band member) Patti Scialfa. He has also recorded two duets with folk icon Pete Seeger.

The first, a version of Springsteen's own "The Ghost of Tom Joad" that features Seeger reciting some of the words, comes out on "Sowing the Seeds," a compilation CD to be released by the West Chester, Pa.-based folk label Appleseed Recordings on Sept. 11.

The second, a cover of the folk standard "Hobo's Lullaby," will be on Appleseed's homelessness benefit album, "Give Us Your Poor," due out Sept. 25.


Jay Lustig may be reached at jlustig@starledger.com or (973) 392-5850.